Recent apologies by two judges over "racist" remarks made against immigrants were unsatisfactory, the Irish Centre for Human Rights Centre has said.
Racist views like those expressed by the two District Court judges should normally be grounds for reprimand and dismissal, according to the centre's director, Prof William Schabas.
Prof Schabas's highly critical public intervention on the issue fell short of calling for the judges' resignations, but he said people who held such views could not in his opinion be judges.
The centre is a teaching, research and advocacy organisation based in NUI Galway.
Its criticism follows apologies last month by two judges, Mr Harvey Kenny and Mr John Neilan, for remarks they made about immigrants.
Judge Kenny suggested that all Nigerians drove without insurance and Judge Neilan implied that "coloured" people were prone to shoplifting.
Prof Schabas said both judges had not shown sufficient contrition for their remarks and an apology alone "just does not do it" for such serious defects in judgment.
He advocated "sensitisation" and training for judges and said he would be thrilled to organise such a seminar.
"Racist comments of this sort are simply incompatible with the judicial function and reveal judges who are unable to rule in a fair, equitable and non-discriminatory manner," the centre said in a statement. Their apologies fell short of what was required.